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Farah says he got in on merit
By James Hooper From: The Sunday Telegraph October 11, 2009 12:01AM Coach's favourite … Robbie Farrah claims that his selection was based on merit despite club coach Tim Sheens weighing in on his selection for the Kangaroos squad. Photograph: Gregg Porteous Source: The Sunday Telegraph
WESTS Tigers captain Robbie Farah admitted club coach Tim Sheens would have had some influence in his selection for Australia's Four Nations campaign in Europe.
Axed from the NSW Origin side after a poor performance in game two, Farah responded strongly by guiding the Tigers to seven wins from their final nine games.
But after losing his Blues spot to Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis and the Tigers missing a fourth consecutive finals series, there was a question mark on whether Farah would win his first Kangaroos jersey.
"The first thing Sheensy told me was that I got in here on my own merits and the selectors wanted me in here,'' Farah said.
"I'm sure he had a bit of an influence as well, being my club coach, but I'm here now and I don't give two hoots what other people say. Sheensy told me I was a chance and to keep training hard because we weren't in the semis."
"I went over to Papua New Guinea and tried to play as well as I could and just stay fit. At the Tigers, we won seven out of our last nine games. I was pretty happy with my form after Origin.''
Sheens was adamant two weeks ago there would be no "jobs for the boys'' at the selection table.
"If all the hookers were on the market I would buy Robbie ... that's as the Wests Tigers coach,'' Sheens said. "But I can tell you now that when I put the Australian cap on, I'm looking as a national coach, not as a club coach."
"I've got to be not only fair, I've got to be seen to be fair and the selectors certainly have their own opinions on that, too.''
Despite one poor Origin performance, Farah has been one of the most creative hookers in the NRL for five seasons.
He admitted his Origin axing hurt, but it also made him more determined to rebound strongly in the representative arena.
"It was a pretty tough period after those first two Origin games,'' Farah said. "Losing my spot was tough, but I've got no one else to blamebut myself."
"I played badly and I was very disappointed because I'm a pretty tough judge on myself. I took it pretty hard, but the people around me kept my spirits up. And I realised it was about how I bounced back."
"I didn't want to be judged on that one game and I thought I bounced back pretty well.''
By James Hooper From: The Sunday Telegraph October 11, 2009 12:01AM Coach's favourite … Robbie Farrah claims that his selection was based on merit despite club coach Tim Sheens weighing in on his selection for the Kangaroos squad. Photograph: Gregg Porteous Source: The Sunday Telegraph
WESTS Tigers captain Robbie Farah admitted club coach Tim Sheens would have had some influence in his selection for Australia's Four Nations campaign in Europe.
Axed from the NSW Origin side after a poor performance in game two, Farah responded strongly by guiding the Tigers to seven wins from their final nine games.
But after losing his Blues spot to Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis and the Tigers missing a fourth consecutive finals series, there was a question mark on whether Farah would win his first Kangaroos jersey.
"The first thing Sheensy told me was that I got in here on my own merits and the selectors wanted me in here,'' Farah said.
"I'm sure he had a bit of an influence as well, being my club coach, but I'm here now and I don't give two hoots what other people say. Sheensy told me I was a chance and to keep training hard because we weren't in the semis."
"I went over to Papua New Guinea and tried to play as well as I could and just stay fit. At the Tigers, we won seven out of our last nine games. I was pretty happy with my form after Origin.''
Sheens was adamant two weeks ago there would be no "jobs for the boys'' at the selection table.
"If all the hookers were on the market I would buy Robbie ... that's as the Wests Tigers coach,'' Sheens said. "But I can tell you now that when I put the Australian cap on, I'm looking as a national coach, not as a club coach."
"I've got to be not only fair, I've got to be seen to be fair and the selectors certainly have their own opinions on that, too.''
Despite one poor Origin performance, Farah has been one of the most creative hookers in the NRL for five seasons.
He admitted his Origin axing hurt, but it also made him more determined to rebound strongly in the representative arena.
"It was a pretty tough period after those first two Origin games,'' Farah said. "Losing my spot was tough, but I've got no one else to blamebut myself."
"I played badly and I was very disappointed because I'm a pretty tough judge on myself. I took it pretty hard, but the people around me kept my spirits up. And I realised it was about how I bounced back."
"I didn't want to be judged on that one game and I thought I bounced back pretty well.''
